Casa Grande bombing suspect appears in court

(Source: CBS 5 News) Bombing suspect Abdullatif Aldosary, 47, of Coolidge, was taken into custody Friday afternoon and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon.

PHOENIX (CBS5) -

A man accused in the explosion at the Social Security Office in Casa Grande was formally charged in U.S. District Court in Phoenix on Monday afternoon.

Abdullatif Aldosary, 47, of Coolidge, is charged in a federal complaint with maliciously damaging federal property by means of explosives and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Aldosary appeared in an orange jumpsuit. He sat stone faced in court and when called, his slight frame was hindered by ankle shackles and cuffs as walked up to the bench.

Judge David Duncan began by asking the defendant his true name, to which there was silence. Duncan then asked, "Are you hearing what I'm saying?" Again, nothing but silence.

The judge asked Susan Anderson, his temporarily appointed attorney, if he had spoken to her. She said no. Judge Duncan then asked the US Attorney's Office if there was a language barrier. They said he did not speak when he was arrested last Friday, but he did follow directions and interviews with others confirm Aldosary does speak English.

His combined detention and status hearing is this Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. In the meantime, he remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal's Office.

He was taken into custody Friday afternoon and a search warrant was served on his home later that night.

FBI agents made searched Aldosary's house some 20 miles from the site of the blast just after 9 p.m. Friday.

Neighbors told CBS 5 News and property records confirmed the house that was crawling with investigators belongs to Aldosary.

"He's pretty quiet. He don't really come out of the house," said neighbor Miguel Pascual.

It was a scene other neighbors told CBS 5 News they had witnessed before. They asked not to be identified.

Court records show Aldosary served prison time in Safford four years ago for aggravated harassment against his then employer, Hunter Contracting in Gilbert, and he is currently involved in an assault and disorderly conduct case in Casa Grande.

"I was pretty shocked about it. Around this little town, who knows to expect something like this?" said Pascual.

The blast was caused by a device that detonated at the rear of the building, said Agustin Avalos of the city of Casa Grande.

It happened around 8:15 a.m. in a building that houses several other downtown businesses. All of them were evacuated, Avalos said.

The type of device had not been determined, Avalos said. But a source close to the investigation said it appeared an accelerant and some type of plastic object was used in the blast.

"I don't know what would go through somebody's mind to do that," said Patty Rodriguez who works nearby.

Witnesses inside at the time said the explosion shook the building violently.

"I was afraid to go into the back because it was so close," said Perez.

The FBI is heading up the investigation, but officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security and Casa Grande Police Department are also investigating, Avalos said.